The Daily Cardinal straps on its shinguards, steps into the goal and talks shop with the UW's sisters of soccer, Jenny and Kelly Kundert.
Senior Kelly Kundert leads the Badgers (3-3-1 overall) with four goals, while Jenny Kundert, a sophomore, holds the team lead in assists with four.
Did you two always play on the same teams while growing up?
Yes, we always played on the same teams. It was always really competitive when we were younger. First it was co-ed, then in some way or another, whether a tournament here or there, we always ended up playing together.
I always liked playing with her, but at first the older girls didn't like it because they didn't want the little girl playing with them.
Did you two always play the same positions while you were growing up?
We both usually played right in the middle in the midfield until college, then I played forward.
Yeah, she was midfield until she started getting thighs on her and then they moved her up to forward.
Do you think your relationship as sisters has given you an advantage over opposing teams? Do you also feel you have an advantage since you've been playing together for so many years?
Definitely. There is not a doubt in my mind that it has. It just seems like I always know where she is on the field or just hearing her voice, I know what she wants.
You know automatically where the other one is going to go. It is kind of like ESP.
Do you think there are any parts of each other's game that you have adapted from one another?
Yes, definitely. When I first came here my freshman and sophomore years my personal goal was to work on my one-on-one skills, which Jenny is really good at. [That] is one definite thing I see that she does that I have learned from her.
One thing I have definitely learned from her, as I said before, is how she is a little bit more muscular than me. She can hold people off so well. After she holds them off and turns, her shot is just like a missile. It is so hard, and I have never been able to shoot as hard as her.
Has being sisters ever created a conflict for you two on the field?
Probably off the field is where we have more of a sister relationship, where on the field we are best friends. Like last year when she got hurt in the Indiana game, I ended up playing with a lot of emotion for her. Every tackle or every hit I see that happens to her, I kind of feel it inside.
Jenny, did your sister influence your decision to come to Madison at all? Was it difficult to make that final decision?
I tried to make it my own decision and not think about family influences, but there was of course a little influence there to give me a little push.
Kelly, how did you deal with Jenny's decision-making process?
I was totally pushing for Madison. Anytime she talked about a recruiting trip I just told her, 'No, it will be much better here.'